Cotton-chopper



2 SheetsSheet 1.

(No Model.)

J. M. GREWS. COTTON CHOPPER.

No. 433,520. Patented Aug. 5, 1890.

m 5 a. r m w I s W m 1%; his WA (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. M. OREWS. GOTTON CHOPPER.

Patented Aug 5, 1890.

cams pnzns so u UNITED STATES PATENT OEFIcE.

JAMES M. CREWVS, OF ARLINGTON, TENNESSEE.

COTTON-CHOPPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 433,520, dated August 5, 1890. Application filed December 21, 1889. Serial No. 334,475. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES l\/I. CREWS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Arlington, in the county of Shelby and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Cotton-Chopper, of which the following is aspecification.

The invention relates to cotton-choppers; and it has for its object to construct a machine of this class which shall be exceedingly simple in construction, durable, and efficient in operation, which shall be adapted to chop out the cotton by going across the rows, and to cultivate the crop by going with the rows, and which when used as a chopper may be so adjusted as to leave any desired quantity of cotton in the rows.

With these ends in view the invention consists in the improved construction, arrangement, and combination of parts which will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved cottonchopper complete. Fig. 2 is a top plan view. Fig. 3 is a detail view of one of the boxes 16. Fig. 4 is a detail View of the yoke 1. Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 00 x in Fig. 2.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

1 designates a yoke the ends of which are bifurcated horizontally, as shown at 2 2', to receive the front ends of the side, beams 3 3, which are mounted in the said bifurcated rear ends of the yoke l-upon vertical bolts 4, which will enable the said side beams to swing laterally in either direction. The yoke 1 is provided with a central horizontal slot 5, in which the center beam 6 is mounted upon the vertical bolt 7. The draft is in practice attached to the front end of the center beam, which projects in front of the yoke 1. The latter may be constructed of a single piece, or it may be made of two separate straps suitably connected by bolts or other wellknown means. The rear ends of the side beams are connected with the rear end of the center beam by means of the braces 9, which are formed with horizontal arches 10 for the purpose to be presently described. The outer ends of the braces 9 are bifurcated for the reception of the rear ends of the side beams,

which are connected with the said braces by means of Vertical bolts 11. The inner ends of the braces are each provided with a series of perforations to receive the bolt 13, by means of which they are connected adjustably to the rear endof the center beam.

Suitably attached to-t-he side beams of the device, near the front ends of said side beams, are the vertically-adjustable standards 14, provided with series of perforations 14 to receive the bolts 14, by which they are secured to the beams, and. the lower ends of which carry plows or shovels 15 of any suitable construction. Similar standards equipped with suitably-constmcted blades are. attached to the side beams near their rear ends, and additional standards may be arranged intermediately upon the beams when the latter are sufficiently long to admit thereof.

Suitably attached to the under sides of the side beams, slightly in advance of each of the plow-carrying standards, are the boxes 16, in

which are journaled transverse shafts .17,

upon. the outer ends of which are secured the circular sharp=edged wheels or cutters 19. The latter, it will be observed, are located on either side of the blades upon the plowcarrying standards and are at an angle to the line of draft. The inner wheels or cutters at the rear ends of the beams are accommodated in the horizontal arches 10 of the braces 9.

Suitable handles are secured to the sides of the center'beam and have their rear ends supported by means of the brace 22, rising from said center beam.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings hereto annexed, the operation and advantages of the invention will be readily understood. When. the device is to be used for cultivating purposes, the cut-tingwheels are detached and a supple mental standard carrying a plow or blade of suitable construction is attached to the rear end of the center beam.

For chopping out the corn, the machine is made to travel across the rows, and the rear ends of the side beams are adjusted so as to leave any desired distance between the stands of plants. The cutting-wheels are also made adjustable upon their shafts, as shown. The plow-carrying standards may also be readily adjusted to raise or lower the plows, which is very useful and necessary for the purpose of adapting the machine to Work in the cotton at various stages of its growth.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isi 1. The combination of the yoke having horizontally-bifurcated rear ends and provided with a central horizontal slot, the side beams mounted pivotally in the bifurcated ends of the yoke, the center beam mounted in the slot of the latter, the braces connecting the rear ends of the side beams with the rear end of the center beam,the vertically-adjustable plow-carrying standards, and the shafts or axles carrying the circular cutters, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of the yoke having the horizontally-bifurcated rear ends, the side beams mounted pivotally in the same, the center beam, the arched braces connecting, the rear ends of the side beams ad-justably with the rear ends of the center beam, the boxes upon the under sides of the side beams,

the shaft or axles journaled in said boxes, and the circular cutters mounted rigidly in the ends of said shafts or axles at an angle to the lineof draft, substantially as set forth.

3. As an improvement in cotton-choppers, the combination of the horizontal yoke having bifurcated rear ends, the laterally-adjustable side beams, the center beam, the arched braces mounted pivotally upon the rear ends of the side beams and having their inner ends connected adjustably with the rear end of the center beam, the plow-carrying standards secured vertically adjustable to the side beams, the revolving axes mounted upon the under sides of the side beams slightly in advance of the plow-carrying standards, and having circular cutters arranged at an angle to the line of draft and the handles attached to the center beam, all constructed and operating substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES M. OREWVS Witnesses:

O. E.. WILsoN, J. W. LYETH. 

